IUBio

Learned Helplessness About Immortality (fwd)

Don Ashley dashley at TENET.EDU
Tue Feb 27 11:02:12 EST 1996



On Wed, 21 Feb 1996, Pagan Hayes wrote:

> >It may also be pertinent for people who doubt life extension to post the
> >reasons they want to die, and explain why they don't throw themselves over
> >the nearest cliff (or eliminate themselves in some enjoyable manner, eg
> >excesses of drink, sport, sexual deviation etc.)
> >
> >But I suppose that not many read this list except to scoff. Well, there's
> >you chance to scoff!
> >
> >--
> >Sincerely,     ****************************************
> >               * Publisher of        Longevity Report *
> >John de Rivaz  *                     Fractal Report   *
> >               *          details on request          *
> >               ****************************************
> I don't doubt life extension, heck I want to live as long as I can, but! I
> have no interest in immortality. Why? Well I haven't really tried to
> articulate  it before but on the other hand why does anyone want to live
> forever? Hmmm, there's a poem, let's see if I can remember it.....
>         "Death is before me today:
>         like the recovery of a sick man,
>         like going forth into a garden after sickness.
> 
>         Death is before me today:
>         Like the odor of myrrh,
>         Like sitting under a sail 
>         in a good wind.
> 
>         Death is before me today:
>         Like the course of a stream,
>         Like the return of a man
>         from the war-galley to
>         his house.
> 
>         Death is before me today:
>         Like the home that a man longs to see,
>         After years spent as a captive."
> 
> 
>         By whom I don't know, but it expresses my feelings. After what I
> hope will be a very long and happy life I will close my eyes and " hear the
> beating of her wings". To me death is a part of the natural cycle, my life
> would not be complete without it.


You can do that every night after a productive and enjoyable day.  Why do 
you want to wake up if you are satisfied?

Death is not part of my natural cycle.

My life is complete today, without death.  I want more of it. Only during 
depression am I ready for the end.  Then I rebound from the depression 
and appreciate life.

What does it mean to you to have a complete life? 

When will you be spent up?

> 
> 
> Pagan
> pagan at lynx.co.nz
> 




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